Moab Reconnaissance.

We went down to Moab for the weekend with a bizillion other people. We pre-road the 24 Hour course. My prediction--which is very different from what Granny Gear said earlier this past week--slower lap times. For example, the road back to camp from the water station is pretty sandy and much slower than it has been. The area should have gotten some rain today and hopefully they will get more throughout the week. Hopefully, Granny Gear can make it better.
We also road Sovereign from town. Surprising, I know. It is still our favorite. Even with wind and sand, it was a really good time. I did have a minor altercation. Now normally I am pretty even tempered and it is Chris who will say something. This time it was all me. I should probably also state that really I have no problem sharing the trails with responsible motorcyclist.
We rode it like we always do as an out and back from Willow Springs to Dalton Wells and back again. We were on the final climb heading north. This guy was off his bike taking a "break all natural". His motorcycle though was right in the middle of the narrow trail. I had to put a foot down and take a couple steps in order to maneuver around him. I said nothing. At the top of the climb on another single track area was the rest of this guys party. There were seven or eight of them. The latter half of the group again had stopped and were smack dab in the middle of the trail. And they laid a backpack in the obvious route around them. I had to dismount my bike walk through the sand and then remount. As I got back on my bike where the front portion of the group had the decency to be off the trail, one of them commented "Good Job". I said thanks and was on my way.
We got to the normal turn around point and started back up. The group of motor cycles was coming down. Again, the first half of the group yielded the trail. I met the last three on a narrow portion of a climb. The girl stops right in the middle of the trail. I again half to go around her. I pointed to the trail underneath her bike and said "That is the trail and I have right to it." The guy behind her said remarked that I "did not need to be a smarta$$." Smarta$$!? Dude, I was not being smart. I was stating the facts--motorcycles yield the trail to mountain bikes. I can be a smarta$$. For example, when the comment "Good job" was given I could have said "yeah, you should see me ride my bike." That would have been a smarta$$ comment. I was so ticked! Chris got a good laugh out of it as I was pretty worked up. Seriously!?
We also rode to the top of Amasa Back. On the way back we ventured on a new trail--Pot Hole Arch. The sign said to stay on designated trail. We tried, but it was not well marked at all. We never saw Pot Hole Arch either. Maybe we did not go to the correct spot. Hopefully with more riding, it will get better marked. It seemed pretty cool though.

Tex on the way back. Poor puppy.

Colors above Dry Canyon

Chris loves autumn